Manipulative Guilt Trips

When I was younger, it was quite easy for someone to get me to do something, or behave a certain way, so they can fulfill an agenda. All they had to do was pull out the manipulative guilt trip card, and I’d have a hard time saying no to their request. I was a member of the 'perpetual niceness' cult, and would scramble to apologize, soothe hurt feelings and fulfill demands when a guilt trip manipulator would tell me that I was being selfish, mean and uncaring.

But then I got older. Smarter. More experienced. Confident. Even somewhat cynical. And all that string pulling became a thing of the past. Now, I listen to myself and evaluate how a situation makes me feel. If I’m feeling pressured or oppressed by someone, or uncomfortable about doing something, I put on the brakes.

I’ve learned over the years to tell the difference between a sincere person with a legitimate request, and someone who uses scheming and forceful tactics to get their way. And if someone accuses me of hurting their feelings and of being mean if I don’t give in, I simply bat it right back with questions such as “How am I hurting your feelings...?” or “Why am I being mean by not doing x,y,z...?”

And life is so much better.

Do you feel guilty easily?